Le Sabre de la bête

This is Gosha's first or second movie he made in his carrer, after watching his other great movies like goyokin and tenchu, I said what the hell might as well get his other movies, this movie has an exeptional plot and has some great sword fights, especially in the abandoned hut, when the two main characters started going at it...

PS: his other movie that I really like was three outlaw samurai..

One of Gosha's earlier movies, it contains all the elements that made him a "chambara" director to be admired and emulated: Well-composed and thoughtful cinematography, a cynical view of authority (with certain implications for modern Japanese society), human drama, and OF COURSE, some excellent swordplay!

Certainly a solid and watchable samurai drama, both for "popcorn" and "cinema" appeal. I'd see Goyokin and/or Hitokiri first, but see this one next!

On the surface this may seem like a typical samurai action flick but like Kurosawa and Kobyashi films there are many social implications beneath the surface.

The movie seems to revolve around the irony that while Gennosuke, the main character who is basically cast out of society in to the wild and forced to constantly fight for his survival like an animal, is actually the only character that tries to show any qualities above that of a beast.

Every other character from a group of bandits he encounters to the group of clansmen trying to exact revenge after Gennosuke killed their leader, to a man and his wife from a separate clan trying to steal gold to improve their clan status are either acting for revenge, power, or greed. The greed exists because most of the movie takes place around a mountain where gold has just been discovered and Gennosuke is befriended by a poor man hoping to find some for himself.

Throughout the movie there is constant backstabbing, deception, and generally brutal acts committed by a multitude of these characters. For instance the man from a separate clan living with his wife on a shack by the river are attacked by bandits in the woods trying to steal the gold they have already mined; they hold the wife hostage in demand for his booty but the man would rather give up his wife then part with his gold. Her saving grace is when Gennosuke shows up on the the scene and acts with the courage and compassion to save her life. The husband does come around a little later in the movie but in the end his rival clan plans to kill everyone on the mountain and save the gold for themselves threatening the couple, Gennosuke, and his persuers.

Gosha does a great job with his imagery, demonstrating a wild, dark world threatening to swallow humans whole. Throughout the film, which is almost all outdoors are scenes of men disappearing into woods or buried beneath shrubbery. In fact, it's quite reminiscent of another Japanese Classic, Rashamon. Some of the shots are virtually identical, ie the sun being concealed over the forest canopy or disappearing behind a mountain.

One of the best touches is towards the end when soldiers from the rival clan are planning to take the mountain, and kill anyone who knows about the gold. One of them sounds a battle horn to signal the approach, a battle horn made to sound conspicuously like some kind of strange animal call.

For all the classic jidaigeki to have ever been made that broached ponderous themes with epic storytelling and a mind for artistry, it's somewhat refreshing to see an instance that goes against that grain. 'Sword of the beast' is a fairly direct, no-frills samurai flick that launches us into the plot even as the opening credits flash on-screen, and scenes move as quickly as fugitive Gennosuke as blades clash. The story is compelling, the action exciting, and the production rich and satisfying, but this is a representation of the genre that's relatively reduced, or at least relatively streamlined. To some degree it may not be as perfectly striking and impressive as some of its brethren, but nevertheless we get exactly what we want, and it's well worth checking out.

The narrative is one of grossly unequal power structures and malfeasance, aspirations and daring, and cold determination as samurai Gennosuke, being pursued after killing a counselor, gets involved in a bid to take gold from a mountain claimed by higher authorities. Further information emerges as the length draws on, and in the meanwhile unexpectedly strong characterizations round out stark but surprisingly flavorful scene writing to sustain the vibrancy here. Plentiful violence ensues with fantastic stunts, fight choreography and effects, providing the bursts of invigoration we commonly anticipate of such pictures. And that latter phrase rather extends to most all elements, for though this declines the more grandiose propensities of much kindred fare, the filming locations are gorgeous, and the sets and costume design fetching and filled with detail. Gosha Hideo's direction is perhaps a tad brusque, yet purposefully so in keeping with the spirit of the proceedings, and the filmmaker ably summons the potency laid out in the screenplay he penned with Shiba Eizaburo.

Especially in being a bit straightforward in presentation and curt in tone, 'Sword of the beast' sometimes almost feels like a precursor to exploitation movies amidst the violence and sexuality. To this add a touch of the western as multiple parties show interest in the mountain and begin to converge there. All the same the plot bears enough complexity to be interesting, engaging, and rewarding on its own accord, and the film is otherwise sufficiently well made - including vivid cinematography, sharp editing, and nice flourishes of music - to make the viewing experience one that's very worthwhile. Moreover, the cast give fine performances befitting the harsh tenor, from foremost Hira Mikijiro, or Kato Takeshi, to those in supporting parts like Kimura Toshie, or Iwashita Shima. The sum total isn't a feature that is absolutely gripping, or demands viewership, yet meaningful themes and story beats adjoin the action and the otherwise excellence, and some moments are especially well done, including a climax that brings everything together with ugly clarity and impact.

Strictly speaking it may have some rough edges, but only ever by design, and there are no abject flaws here. How much one appreciates 'Sword of the beast' will come down to the style of storytelling and film-making that one favors, for while we do get tinges of the more august, measured mastery we routinely saw from the likes of Kurosawa Akira, Kobayashi Masaki, or Inagaki Hiroshi, mostly this title is inclined more toward pure, unadorned expression of everything we treasure in jidaigeki. If in any way it doesn't stand quite as tall as its peers, it's only as a matter of personal preference. For my part I find this to be overall superb, and if anything just not as powerful or profound as it might have been with a smidgen more finesse - although, for the level on which Gosha and his contemporaries operated, the distinction ultimately doesn't mean all that much. Scrutinize the minutiae as we may, what it comes down to is that 'Sword of the beast' is terrific, absorbing, and enjoyable, and whatever your impetus for watching, I'm pleased to give it my solid recommendation.

There are many films set in the feudal period of Japan that can be read as commentary on contemporary Japanese life. Here a couple of well-meaning and excellent sword-fighters are used by their superiors to further selfish agendas. The "beast" of the title is not a crazy samurai but rather the noble hero who is forced by treachery to forgo his social connections and travel from place to place like a roaming beast.

As western values permeate Japan, the conflict between the individual, as personified by the wandering noble ronin who gives up attempting to reconnect with normalcy (or in American cinema, the western hero who rises above social norm and becomes an ideal to attain), and the good samurai who upholds social stability to the detriment of his own needs (no real American equivalent) found itself expressed in period Japanese films. Many Japanese films of the 1960's and 70's feature characters who reject old fashioned values in the name of justice, yet suffer and never really are able to enjoy their good deeds. This film is set in the time after Commander Perry's ships essentially invaded Japanese territory and threw Japanese society for a spin.

Well-made, good acting and a solid directorial effort makes this a good samurai film even if the repeated flash-backs might be confusing. Unfortunately there are some excellent films that cover this topic already so this particular film seems unremarkable by comparison.

Good film and recommended.